Loose-leaf-book construction.



E. W. HILL.

LOOSE LEAF BOOK CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14, 1910.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. HILL, OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK.

LOOSE-LEAF-BOOK CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD IV. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at 241 Amherst avenue, Jamaica, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf-Book Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose leaf books, for instance writing tablets and note books.

It is my object to provide a construction which is simple and inexpensive for securing loose perforated leaves together so that they can be readily removed from the covers when desired and yet normally are held in alinement and are unlikely to become accidentally separated when in use.

In its preferred form the invention consists in the combination of covers carrying two or more pairs of coacting telescopic posts for the perforated sheets and one or more clasps the parts of which are automatically interengaged when the posts are telescoped.

Binders with telescopic posts and various kinds of clasps have been heretofore made and I therefore do not claim the details separately but I do claim the combination of elements as new and particularly useful because of their peculiar cooperation in a loose leaf book construction.

Figure 1 is a rear edge view of a construction embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the construction with the clasps released and one cover removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the plane of the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one part of one of the clasps flattened out. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the other part of one of the clasps. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a clasp part on the plan of the line YY of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a rear View of the separate parts of a clasp with two catches.

The reference numerals 1 and 2 indicate the two covers. The leaves or sheets 3 are perforated to receive two or more hollow or tubular posts such as 4, 1 which are secured to cover 1. The posts such as 5, 5, to telescope into the hollow posts 4, 4 are secured to the cover 2. To stiffen the construction the posts are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the metal strips such as 6 and 7 which in turn are suitably glued, riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the material of the covers.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1910.

Patented Au. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 581,930.

Each clasp consists of two parts 8 and 9 secured respectively to the covers 1 and 2 in any suitable manner as for instance by riveting. These parts 8 and 9 have iutercngaging shoulders 10 and 11 respectively constituting catches formed for instance by slitting and stamping the metal as shown. In this manner inclined approaches such as 12 and 13 are formed which make the engagement of the catches easy. One or both of the parts 8 and 9 are formed of springy metal such as spring brass so as to automatically snap into engagement. In the form shown the part 9 is more springy and naturally presses outward but is adapted to be pushed inward by pressure of the finger to disengage the catches at which time the covers may be separated. For convenience in operation I prefer to provide the part 9 with a projection or button such as 14 either integral or riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto for easier engagement by the finger. lVhen the part 9 is intended to be pushed inward in disengaging the clasp, sufiicient space should be provided between it and the paper 3. Then the part 8 is sufficiently springy the catches may be disengaged by pulling the tip of the part 8 outward.

A single clasp such as shown in Fig. 7 may be used midway between the posts if desired, the parts 15 and 16 being secured to the covers 1 and 2 respectively. This clasp has two pairs of catches 17, 17 and 18, 18 with a button 19 between them. I prefer to use two clasps as they may be conveniently operated simultaneously by pressure of the two ilorefingers while the book is held with the three other fingers of each hand and the cover 2 raised by means of the thumbs placed beneath it and released when the clasps are disengaged. The telescopic posts, however, hold the parts in alinement while engaging and disengaging the clasps so that one clasp at a time may be operated.

To secure the covers the posts 5, 5 are simply inserted in the posts 4, 4L and the cover 2 pressed toward cover 1 until the clasps automatically snap into engagement. The telescopic action of the posts and the sliding action of the clasps makes it very easy to engagcand disengage the parts and yet they are securely held when assembled and can not become accidentally disengaged.

What I claim is:

1. In a loose leaf book construction a pair of covers, telescoping posts carried thereby and a clasp for holding said covers and posts together, said clasp comprising a part carried by each cover, each part having a shoulder and said shoulders being adapted to automatically interlock and a push button carried by one part adjacent its interlocking shoulder.

2. A loose leaf book construction, comprising a pair of covers, a pair of telescoping posts carried thereby and a pair of clasps to hold said covers and posts together, each clasp comprising two parts carried by the covers adjacent to a post, each part of each clasp having a shoulder and the shoulders of each clasp being adapted to automatically interlock and one part of each clasp having a push button serving as a finger-piece adjacent the interlocking shoulder carried by that part.

3. A loose leaf book construction, comprising a pair of covers, telescoping posts carried thereby and a clasp for holding said covers and posts together, said clasp comprising two resilient sheet metal parts carried respectively by the covers, said parts over-lapping each other when the posts are telescoped and each part having a shoulder andsaid'shoulders being adapted to automatically interlock when the posts are telescoped and one of said parts having a push button serving as a finger-piece adjacent the interlocking shoulder of said part whereby said shoulders may be readily disengaged.

4-. A loose leaf book construction comprising covers, telescoping posts carried thereby, loose perforated sheets carried on said posts and a clasp for holding said covers and posts together, said clasp comprising two parts secured respectively to the covers and bent substantially at right angles so as to over-lap each other when the posts are telescoped, said parts having shoulders adapted to automatically interlock when said posts are telescoped, the inner of said over-lapping parts having a push button adjacent its shoulder serving as a finger-piece and said part being spaced away from the ends of the perforated sheets whereby said inner member may be pushed inward to disengage said shoulders.

EDWARD W. HILL.

R. W. HORNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

